Category: courage
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Hold On
I’m blessed to have known all four of my grandparents. Poppy Sykes was larger than life, a creative soul whose good-natured pranks made strangers double over with laughter. Grandpa Booker had a gentle spirit and strong hands that worked farmland and mastered carpentry. Before her winter years, Grandma Booker created the most delectable cuisine with…
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Never Alone
There’s something about this time of year. School’s out, summer’s on, and transitions are underway. In our home, a kindergartener is now a first grader. And we have two rising seniors, one in high school and one in college. Friends have kiddos heading to sleepaway camps, where kids are learning to be a bit more…
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Still Here
Dad slipped away quietly one year ago today. And, oh, how I miss him. I remember that day in vivid detail. The steady rain. The chill in the air. How I knew he’d passed when hospice’s number appeared on my phone screen. How I let it go to voicemail because I was taking our teen…
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A Fond Farewell
As the youngins say, life be lifing. But, it’s still life. And, this year often reminded me that life is such an incredible gift.
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A Kind of Kindness
Writing again feels so good. I’ve been navigating a swept-away season since the birth of our LO 3 years ago. Stretch-and-grow moments have been plentiful since then. Time for capturing those moments here? Not so much. But, seasons change and mine is evolving again. So, onward we go. And, I’ll start with a lesson that…
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About Those Masks …
Every October 31st, we went a-begging for candy. And what fun it was: Putting on makeup and wigs and masks and whatever else was required to become a werewolf, princess or superhero. By the time I was about 10, I preferred to be any character that didn’t require wearing a mask. More specifically, those plastic…
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A Matter of Trust
“Mom, my throat hurts.” Recent words from our son. While it’s not earth shattering by a long shot, a sore throat is out of the ordinary for him. He has never, ever complained of having one. I thought, a brand new symptom? Stop the presses. Something’s off. My mom ears perked up 100%. And 2…
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Got Your Lesson?
Each day after school I’d go home, grab a small snack and hop on my homework. I wanted to get my work done to maximize TV time after dinner. And later at the dinner table, Granny Sykes would ask, “Did you get your lesson?” She was referring to my homework, of course. Granny wanted to…
